


We are the walking dead

by shadowkatninjawarrior



Series: Sheriff and Knives [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: AU, F/M, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-15
Updated: 2015-09-09
Packaged: 2018-04-09 11:32:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 7,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4347011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shadowkatninjawarrior/pseuds/shadowkatninjawarrior
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This begins just after the prison falls, and AU where Rick and Michonne get out together, Carl is alone. It's the story of two young people desperate to survive in a world against them. It should be pretty much gender neutral.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A house isn't always a home

**Author's Note:**

> (a little background to the reader character) The reader has been alone pretty much since the beginning. They have drifted between groups, but each and every one has been destroyed, by walkers, other groups, or infighting. They are desperate not to be alone but constantly pretend that being alone is better in order to cope. In order to avoid any more pain, they have decided not to join another group, having already lost too many people.

The leafy suburban street was eerily quiet, despite the bright sunshine. But, then again, silence is a good thing nowadays, less chance of running into lurkers. You wander down the street, weapon in hand. "Always be ready for an attack, be it alive or dead, no matter how safe you may feel." The voice floats through you're mind though you have long since lost the name and face which once went with it. The message had always stuck with you. 

You knew that you were pretty much set for supplies at the moment, having just recently raided a ware house. Some one had stashed away a box of granola bars, but presumably hadn't lived long enough to enjoy them. Water was also no problem at the moment so all you needed was a safe place to get some rest. Well, as safe as it could be. Breaking into a house is generally safer that camping out in the woods. Not always mind you. 

Picking a random house, you clamber in through the window, shutting it carefully behind you and flipping the latch to lock it. The place has evidently been ransacked but that doesn't bother you in the slightest. If a place hasn't been ransacked there's usually a bloody good reason. You make a sweep of the house, checking for lurkers. Finding one locked in the pantry, you make quick work of it, pillaging the few cans which still seemed alright. You checked the back door, locked, and locked all remaining windows. A quick look into the back garden full of walkers tells you that it wouldn't have made a good emergency escape anyway. You leave the front door open slightly, because a closed door is a magnet for scavengers. You put a mop and a small stack of empty cans behind the door as an early warning system for any intruders. This way you will immediately hear if the door is opened any further. Safety precautions in place, you wander upstairs to curl up in bed and get a few hours sleep, dagger still enclosed tightly in your hand. 

You are awoken by the sound of clattering and muffled swearing. It takes a moment for your sleep addled brain to register that there is a potentially murderous human in the house. You would have been far less concerned had it been a walker. Fight the dead, fear the living and all that. Now fully awake, you roll out of bed and onto your feet as quietly as possible. Moving to lean against the wall next to the door, you regulate your breathing. You listen as soft footsteps explore downstairs. Eventually they reach the stairs and you listen as cautious footfalls ascend each step. You wait until the door opens and then you pounce.


	2. Fear the living

Grabbing his arm, you twist is painfully behind his back and press his face into the wall knocking his hat off. Knife pressed into his neck, he makes a strangled pained noise and struggles against you. 

"How many people are with you?" You snarl at him.

"No one! I'm alone!"

"Tell me the truth!"

"Really! I got separated a few days ago! I was at the prison!" 

That gives you pause. you saw the prison go up in smoke just yesterday, gunfire and explosions had echoed for miles. The place was already completely overrun by lurkers. Any survivors had scattered. You had kept away from the prison, too much experience with groups had left you wary of them. They had an unfortunate tendency to blow up, literally or figuratively.  
Deciding to trust him, for now at least, you let go of his arm. Grabbing up his hat you hold it out to him without sparing it a glance.

"If you do anything stupid, I will not hesitate to kill you."

He nods cautiously, placing the hat back onto his head. 

"Right, well I need to go set the trap back up, you uh... wait here and uh... settle in or... whatever." 

With that, you grab an extra knife, strap it to your leg and shut the door behind you. On the landing you wait and listen before slowly descending the stairs. You don't yet trust him enough to take him on his word about being alone. Hearing nothing other than the usual lurker noises, and the guy moving around in the upstairs bedroom. Looks like he told the truth. You quickly set the trap back up and double check the windows and back door. 

You sit on the bottom stair for a moment, thinking. You always avoid groups, but travelling with this guy couldn't really be classed as a group. More of a pair. You could stick with him until he found a group, be it his old one or a new one. Then you could part ways. The company would do you good, even if it was only a little while. Hopefully it would stave off insanity. Though, the verdict on whether you were already insane was still out. This would mean that for once you weren't talking only for yourself. It would be nice to feel like a person again. 

Supposing you would just have to pray that it doesn't end in disaster, and that your solo act would have to be put on hold for a while, you wandered back upstairs. You slipped quietly back into the master bedroom. The guy was curled up under the covers, one hand clutching a knife. He looks asleep but you can't quite tell. His hat is sat on the bedside table. Picking it up you realise that it is in fact a sheriff's hat. 

Smiling, you place it back carefully and wander over to the window. Looking out, you realise with a jolt that there is a crowd of lurkers filling one side of the street, coming this way. As long as you both stay quiet and don't attract any attention, they should just pass through and leave you alone. But that does mean that you may end up stuck here for a day or two. You close all the curtains carefully and bolt the door. Then you put a chair up against it. Grabbing a blanket off the bed, you curl up on the chair and pull it around you. Nothing is getting into this room without you knowing about it. You drift off quickly, used to snatching a few hours sleep whenever you can.


	3. The warmth of the fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> short chapter today, and then I'm going on holiday for two weeks so... no updates for a while unfortunately.

When you eventually awake, the guy, whom you have mentally dubbed sheriff, appears to still be fast asleep. You decide to leave him for a little longer while you get some food ready. There is a fireplace set into the wall so you set about ripping up a load of books and create a small fire. Next, you begin heating a can of beans. Suddenly, the guy wakes up. The first the he does is put his hat back on, and you hide your smile.  
"Do I smell food?"  
You nod curtly. "Yeah." You're still attempting to maintain some kind of emotional detachment. He sits beside you and you both tuck into the beans, sharing the single spoon. The silence stretches like melted mozzarella. Damn it, now you're craving pizza. Eventually, he breaks the silence.  
"My name is-"  
"No!" You cut him off. "No names. That means less attachment. We're only sticking together until you find someplace you want to stay. So I'll call you sheriff."  
He nods hesitantly, more than a little confused. "So... What should I call you?"  
"Don't mind. You choose."  
He scrutinises you for a few seconds frowning. You just watch amusedly as he ponders. Eventually, when the beans are finished and the two of are sharing a granola bar, he sighs.  
"I can't think of one right now. But I will. Don't worry."  
You raised an eyebrow. "Who's worrying?"  
He gives a half chuckle. "So. What do you do for fun around here?"  
You snort "Well there are a couple books which survived the culling. You could have a go at reading them, but I don't know how interesting you will find them."  
He shrugged "Worth a shot."  
He begins browsing the shelves, occasionally pulling one out to inspect it closer. You grab your bag and rummage through the contents. It's mostly full of knives, food and water. You always collected every knife you found so that it would never matter if you had to leave one behind somewhere to get out. Sheriff looks over interestedly.  
"You have a lot of knives."  
"Yeah. Better safe than sorry and all that."  
"Hey! I'll call you knives!"  
You consider that for a moment, before nodding. "Yeah. I like that. Knives it is."


	4. The quiet inbetween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm back.

After confirming your new code name, you continued to rummage in your bag until you find your latest carving. After selecting your favourite knife you began to whittle away at your most recent creation. Which just so happened to be a duck. Why a duck? Honestly you had no fucking clue at this point. Carving was therapeutic, the rhythmic motions of the knife smoothing out the side, or the tip oh so carefully carving out features, calmed you. It had helped keep you sane alone on the road. Well, sort of. It helped that all that was required was some wood, a knife and a little creativity.  
Having just selected a book, sheriff glanced at you and though he cocked an eyebrow at the soon to be duck statuette, he elected not to question it. You were glad of this as you had very little idea as to what you would say if asked to explain the activity. Well not the carving part, the duck part. There was silence for a good while, other than the slick sound of a blade through wood and the occasional rustle of a page turning. Your duck is really beginning to take shape. It almost actually resembles a duck. Eventually sheriff looks up at you, and out of the blue asks, "How many walkers have you killed?"   
You look up at him, a little startled by the sudden question. "Assuming you mean lurkers? I have no idea. Too many to count. Hundreds, I would say."  
He nods slowly. "How many people have you killed?"  
Now that is a much more loaded question. Considering it carefully, you decide to tell the truth. "I don't know. I lost count a few months ago. Well, no. I stopped counting. The number just kept getting higher."  
"Why?"  
Ah. The mother load of all of all loaded questions. "What's with the questions?"  
"It's what my group always asks before trusting someone, you get a bit of a sense of what they are capable of."  
"Makes sense." You take a deep breath "Well, some of them asked me to. They would have turned otherwise. But most..." You trail off, taking a moment to gather your thoughts. "I'm young and alone. Everyone is looking for what they can take from you. I look like the easiest score anyone has had in months. People forget that anyone out here alone? Deserves to be here. In a group, the weaker people can survive, but alone... So, they try to jump me. And die trying."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My chapters are always short but I will try to get one out every one or two days so hopefully that should make up for it.


	5. A light in the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at me keeping my promises. This probably won't last but I will try my best.

"What about you?"  
"Me?"  
"How many people have you killed?"  
"Oh." Sheriff ducks his head. "Two."  
That doesn't surprise you, he was part of a group for the entire time up to now. Adults would have taken care of most threats.  
"Why?"  
"One of them was my mom. She was going to turn so I had to kill her. It had to be me." You just nod, allowing him to continue. You also don't know what to say to that. "The other was a guy attacking the prison a little while ago."   
"Right. I've gotta say, I like those questions. Obviously people could lie, but still it's a good idea."  
"What's that you're making by the way?"  
"Oh. This is a duck."  
"Why?"  
"Carving is therapeutic."  
"No, why a duck?"  
"I... Like ducks...?" It comes out as more of a question than an answer.  
"You like ducks."  
"Yes."  
"Okay then."  
"Yep." Silence lapses back over the room as you both go back to what you were doing. It was a quiet, peaceful moment. It had been so long since you had even slightly relaxed around anyone. Not that you were completely relaxed, you'd only just met thus guy. Eventually, your duck is finished and looks almost ready to quack at you. You pause to contemplate how long it has been since you heard a duck quack. It's certainly been a while. Though you can say for certain that it's not something you particularly miss. You get up and take a little peek out of the window. The herd has thinned out significantly, it has almost completely passed through. You breathed a sigh of relief, as that meant you could get going soon. Staying in out place for too long made you twitchy. A quick glance at the sky tells you it's quickly becoming night, the light is fading fast.  
"We should be able to get going tomorrow first thing."  
"Where to?"   
"Does your group have an emergency meet up point?"  
"No."  
You have to carefully restrain yourself from pointing out how utterly ridiculous that is. "Well then, we'll go wherever. Just keep moving. Maybe look for places your people might have gone."  
"Okay. We should get as much rest as we can." You both set about turning in for the night and you head for the chair once again. Sheriff frowned. "Did you sleep in that chair last night?"  
"Oh, yeah." You gesture vaguely at the room as if to say, what else was I going to do?  
"It's a queen sized bed, there's plenty of room for us both."  
You hesitate momentarily, but it makes sense. Curled up on opposite sides of the bed, you say your sleepy goodnights and slip into sleep instantly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments are appreciated.


	6. Moving on

You awake feeling refreshed and calm. It had been a good while since that had happened. The past day and a half had been a slew of things that hadn't happened in a while. Sheriff was still blissfully asleep. You considered getting up, but decided to bask in the peace for just a little while longer. As you lay there you realise something is different. Not bad different, as that would have woken you immediately but... The herd must have completely passed through, it's silent outside.   
Having basked long enough, you get out of the bed and begin gathering the few belongings which have managed to migrate around the room. Then, you shake sheriff awake rather roughly.   
"Up you get, we're going!"   
He gives a cry of surprise and rolls out of the bed and onto the floor. You just watch with badly concealed amusement as he looks around in dazed confusion, searching for threats. Eventually his gaze lands on you and he relaxes.   
"What on earth was that for?" He sounds so indignant that this time you don't even bother to hide your laughter.   
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you, but it's time to get going." He just grunts and pulls himself up grudgingly. He sleepily gathers his things and despite the fact that it doesn't matter in the slightest, at all, you make the bed.  
When everything is all packed up, you both walk out into the early morning light, leaving the door open behind you. You pause on the porch and place your newly created duck down to the right of the door.   
"So. which way?"   
Sheriff frowns and takes a look around.   
"Well, the prison is that way, so I suggest we head in the opposite direction."   
You give him a decisive nod. "Alright then." Together you strike up a steady walking pace, quick, but sustainable.   
After a little while, sheriff asks, "Why do you do that?"  
You frown at him. "Do what?"  
"Leave them behind. Your little carvings."  
"Oh. Well, I can't bring them with me, they would take up too much space in my bag. I began leaving them behind in the hopes that someone from one of the groups that scattered would recognise them and find me. Of course, that's ridiculous because even if they did find one they wouldn't know which way to go. But I just keep leaving them anyway." As you spoke, you reached a railway crossing.  
"Oh, I..." He trails off, distracted. "What's that?" There is a sign to the side on the track which looks like it was made in the past couple of months. You both hurry over to take a look. You narrow your eyes at it. "Terminus?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp thanks for reading


	7. New hope

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I struggled with this chapter but I eventually managed to get it done. Sorry it's a little late. :/

"Sanctuary for all?" Sheriff turns to you excitedly, "This could be where my group has headed!"  
You shake you head. "I don't like this. It looks too good to be true. So that means it is."  
"But we can at least have a look! We don't have to go in until we have scoped it out. Or I could go in alone!" You like that idea even less.   
"Look-"  
"I can't ignore this. This could be my chance to find my family. I'm going with or without you." He strides off down the track. For a few moments you just stand there, deliberating. Eventually you roll your eyes and start down the track after him. Damn fool, so impatient to rush off and get himself killed. You berate yourself for caring while at the same time not wanting to be alone again. Part of you doesn't want him to find them because it means you will have to leave, getting attached to one person was on thing but an entire group... you couldn't go through that again. Shaking away your thoughts, you concentrate on staying alert and scanning the surrounding forest. You realise that sheriff is doing the same thing, head swinging back and forth. Well at least he's not a complete idiot. That settles your jangling nerves a little.   
"Decided to join me then?" He asks without turning around.  
You snort. "Only because someone has to make sure you don't get yourself killed rushing off to find your family."  
He snorts back. "Sure."  
You hurry up behind him and snatch the hat from his head.  
"Oi!" His hands go up as he whips around. You just place it onto your head.   
"I think it rather suits me, don't you?" You strike a pose. He laughs and tries to snatch it back but you dance away lightly.   
"Knives!" You stick your tongue out at him. He grabs you by the shoulders to keep you still. "Give it back." He orders sternly. You pout but reach up to take it off your head. Before you can get there, a rustling of leaves reaches you ears. You both turn to the source of the sound, poised to react. Eventually three walkers emerge from the brush. You unsheathe your knife and glance at sheriff.   
"Ready?"  
"Ready."   
You both wait for them to come to you, taking them out easily. Then, leaving the three bodies slumped across the tracks, you continue on. Not before sheriff snatches his hat back, of course.


	8. Journeys

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sweats nervously* here, a ridiculously late filler chapter... oops. I have had a busy few days so hopefully I can get back into the swing of things now.

You quickly lost track of how long the two of you had been following the tracks together. For most part the time passed quietly, walking side by side. There was the occasional lurker, and one heart stopping moment when a group of them appeared out of seemingly nowhere. But there was also the moments of happiness. In a world so harsh and cold, every moment of happiness was fought for tooth and nail and so much more significant because of it. In your heart you knew that this couldn't last, but instead of running scared from the impermanence of it, you just enjoyed the moment.   
Along the way you slowly learnt more about the former residents of the prison, his group. About his little sister baby Judith A.K.A Little Asskicker as she was affectionately named by Daryl the tough redneck who was not so tough underneath despite what he wanted people to think. Rick, his father, the original sheriff. He sounded like an amazing man. There was Beth, the singer, and substitute mother to Judith. You refrained from asking what happened to the mother. Maggie, her older sister and Glenn her pizza boy turned badass husband. From what you heard, Maggie was pretty badass herself. There was Hershel, voice of reason. Carol, grey haired but tough as hell, hardened by loss. Michonne, swooping in with a slash of her samurai sword and a comic for sheriff. You enjoyed listening to him talk about them, his voice full of wistfulness.  
The closer you got to Terminus, the more nervous you became. You had seen the signs on your travels but always dismissed them as bait to lure innocent people in and take them for everything they had. But sheriff had so much hope that he would find his family there, you didn't have the heart to tell him how unlikely it was that his family would be there and that the safe haven was genuine. The best you could hope for was one or the other. You didn't much like the idea of his group walking into danger. You had come to like them through his tales. So you waited anxiously to see what you would find when you did eventually reach Terminus. You prayed that it would be a happy ending but couldn't shake the sick nervousness in the pit of your stomach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stuff will actually happen next chapter I promise...


	9. Into the spider's web

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god this took me so long. I wrote out about ten different versions of this chapter, and some of them had entirely different story arcs. Jesus I am sorry for the long wait. Hopefully it won't be so long for the next one but no promises!

Terminus. You stared at the section of building you could see through the trees and frowned.   
"I don't like this." Sheriff just shook his head and went to move forward again. You grabbed his arm. "No. Look at it. It's the middle of the day and it looks empty. Completely desolate. It's not a good sign."  
He rolled his eyes at you. "They're probably just inside where it's safer, they're less likely to get attacked."  
You gave him your best 'seriously?' look but he just sighed. "I'm going in there with or without you. You don't have to come, it's not your family." He stalks away towards the building and you just roll your eyes and follow.   
"By the way, my name is Carl." he says without looking back at you. "I figure if you're following me into somewhere you think is ridiculously dangerous then the whole 'no attachment' policy has gone out the window." Your first reaction is to argue but you see the sense.   
"Well then. My name is Y/N" You keep walking and eventually reach the chain link fence. Carl looks at your pinched, concerned expression and some of the determination drains from his eyes.   
"We're gonna be okay. No matter what happens in there. I mean come on, how many things have you survived? With me watching your back we are going to be fine!"   
"That doesn't mean I enjoy wandering into places without knowing what's waiting."  
He smiles. "Here." He takes the hat from his head and places it snugly onto yours.   
"Wha-?"   
"There. Now no matter what happens in there, we'll be fine. That hat is lucky, I tell you." You roll your eyes at his ridiculous optimism, but you seriously appreciated the gesture.  
"Alright." You square your shoulders. "Let's do this."   
Pushing open the gate, you stride in, outwardly confident. In reality your heart is racing and your eyes dart all over ready to assess the first sign of danger. Eventually you reach a sort of wide alley between two buildings. There is a homely looking woman with a plait over one shoulder sat in a plastic garden chair. She looks up in surprise as the pair of you approach and a bright smile spreads across her face.  
"Oh my! Newcomers! Why, you two are very young. You look so exhausted! Come on in, put your stuff down and we can fix you both something to eat."  
You and Carl look at each other. Your warning bells are screaming that something is wrong but you can't for the life of you figure out exactly what.  
"Where is everyone else?" You enquire cautiously.  
"Oh, everyone has to work. It'll be lunch soon, so you both can meet every body."  
She gives you a beaming smile. You are almost convinced, when suddenly, a scream rings out. The smile drops immediately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DUN DUN DUN. I promised stuff would happen in this chapter and so it did. How are they gonna deal with this one hmm?


	10. Shattered hopes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What is this? Another new chapter??? The inspiration has returned!!! Quick warning for violence in this chapter but I should think that any Walking Dead fans should be okay with it :)

The expression which replaces her smile is downright scary. You grab Carl roughly.  
"Run!" He doesn't resist, instead spinning quickly to run with you. Before you can reach the alley, a guy steps out in front of you. Driving your knife viciously into his neck, you barely even hesitate. By the time his body hits the ground you are already running again and quickly catch up to Carl. You're barely even halfway down the alley when shots ring out from somewhere above. They ping off the concrete in front of you, forcing you to stop and turn around. The ends of the alley are blocked off by people on both sides. Your heart sinks. No this can't be happening. Not again. You can't lose Carl. You won't let him become yet another name on the list of those you have lost. A shout reaches you.   
"Weapons down!" That is the very last thing you want to do but it seems that there is no choice. You lay the knife down carefully. Carl hadn't even managed to draw a weapon, so he stays still. The second the weapon leaves your hand, they advance on you both, yanking your arms behind your backs and tying them there roughly. A dark haired man stalks over, coming uncomfortably close to your face.   
"You're more dangerous than you look kid." You struggle against your bonds and manage to head butt him with some force. He stumbles away, holding his nose. He looks at you, pure malice in his eyes.   
"Oh you are going to pay for that." He lands a vicious punch to your gut, forcing all the air out of you as you double over in pain.  
"Y/N!" Carl yells in desperation, struggling wildly against his bonds. A kick pounds into your back and another into your shins. One smashes into your face before you can cover it. Blood spurts from your nose. You curl up, head tucked into your chest as you endure blow after blow. You can barely even feel them anymore. Eventually, you black out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoop whoop! I am back baby!


	11. Lost in the dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sings* NEW CHAPTEEEEEEER

You slowly and painfully begin to regain consciousness, wishing you could stay in the painless black. Eventually you work up the resolve to open your eyes. It's pitch black. A wave of raw panic rushes through you. Are you blind? You strain your eyes desperately and eventually you make out a chink of light. The panic drains from you, the room is just pitch black.   
"Carl?" You manage to croak. There is immediately a shuffling noise somewhere near you.   
"It's ok, I'm here." Gentle hands touch your head. From the sound of his voice Carl is fine. That's a relief. You're the one who killed that guy, it would have been awful if they'd hurt him as well because of you.   
"Where are we?" You tried to sit up, wincing at the discomfort. His hands moved quickly to your shoulders and pushed you back down.  
"Don't try to sit up, you'll make your injuries worse."  
You sigh. "I've survived much worse than this. These are just bruises. Nothing is broken, I know what that feels like believe me. I need to get up and move before I get any stiffer than I already am." As you talk you can feel dried blood coating your lips and chin. It's an absolute miracle your nose isn't broken. Carl seems very dubious about the whole walking around thing.   
"I really don't think you should be walking around." It seems like he isn't going to be persuaded on this one. Stubborn bastard as per usual.   
"Fine, but at least help me sit up." He still seems dubious but acquiesces. Sitting up actually creates less pain than you thought it would, which is a good sign. Carl hovers nervously beside you.  
"I'm sorry." The whisper is so quiet you barely even hear it.  
"What?"  
"I'm sorry. It's my fault we came here. I was so focused on finding my family I didn't think about any of the possible consequences even though you kept warning me over and over. It's my fault you got hurt."  
You shut your eyes tiredly. "If you want to blame anyone blame them. They're the ones who put up signs saying this damn place is a sanctuary when it's clearly anything but. It is not your fault. Seriously." You are both quiet for a few moments. You can't gage Carl's reaction in the dark so you decide to change the subject.  
"So, how long was I out?"   
"No idea. It's so dark in here it's hard to keep track of how much time has passed. More than a day I think."  
Suddenly, a door opens and light floods into the small room. You squint your eyes against the brightness. Heavy footsteps approach you both and suddenly Carl is being ripped away from you. You try to fight to keep him there but simply don't have the strength.   
"Carl!"  
"Y/N!"   
You try to get up but get shoved back down. It's the same dark haired man from before.   
"Oh no, you're staying here."  
They left, swinging the door shut and you were abandoned alone in the inky darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit is hitting the fan ladies and gentlemen!


	12. New light

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit of a filler chapter, but a little plot.

Not long after Carl is taken, you manage to struggle to your feet and walk around. You feel your way around the walls. They are cold, and the paint is peeling in places. Eventually you reach something different. This spot is much colder. You eventually realise that it must be a window, painted over. You scratch at it until you have a tiny hole to peek outside. It's night, and the moon isn't out so you can't make out anything but you are pretty satisfied with the knowledge that this could be a possible way out. There is nothing else you can do until morning when you can actually see what's outside. You wander around the room a few more times, slowly and painfully, before settling down and accept the soft darkness of sleep once again.  
You wake up slowly, and pretty much just as painfully as last time. The blood is still dried on your face and your stomach is gurgling with hunger. As you sit up you notice some food and water in the sliver of light from the door. You fall on it gratefully. You have no idea what the food is, a cold tin of something. You eat it slowly and drink most of the water. Once you're finished you move back over to the window. It's daytime now and you can see out. By a stroke of luck you are on the ground floor. That means if you can break the window you don't have to jump far at all. All you have to do is wait for the right moment. There is a stationary train car a few meters from you window with wooden steps leading up to the door. Behind that is more of the chain link fence you saw on the way in. You continue to stare out of the window, considering different escape plans.   
Distant gunshots reverberate through the air, making you jump. Are they being attacked? Perhaps this would be a good time for escape! But you remember the way they brought you and Carl in. You have absolutely no way to know whether the shots are an attack or bringing in more unfortunate souls. The shooting gets closer and closer until three people run out to the left of the train car. They stop, and after some distrustful annoyed looks, they put down their weapons. A katana, a crossbow and a pistol respectively. Slowly, pistol guy walks over to the train car an opens the door. You catch a glimpse of shadowy figures inside. Perhaps that's where Carl is being held. The guy hesitates, looking back to the other two before glancing up towards the roof and going inside. Next is the katana lady, followed closely by the crossbow guy. The door slams shut and silence floods back into the area.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooooooh who could those three mysterious people with very recognisable weapons possibly be??? hmm


	13. Processed meat

More time passes, but you don't really keep track of it. Most of it is spent sleeping, trying to recover from your injuries. Eventually, the door slams open once again and you are grabbed roughly from behind by strong hands. You decide not to struggle as a blindfold is placed over your eyes and tied securely to your head. Hands bound once again, you are picked up in a fireman's lift. You just go limp, waiting for your opportunity to strike. You bounce uncomfortably as the man carrying you jogs, forcing the air out of your lungs leaving you gasping for breath. All sense off direction is lost as you turn corner after corner. Your head clips some of the corners, but the person carrying you evidently doesn't care. Then, you're set roughly down onto your feet and you sway a little but manage to keep your balance.   
"Enjoying yourself yet kid?" The voice is incredibly close to your ears, lips brushing against your skin. You flinch as far away as you can, but he grabs your wrists and yanks them above your head. He pulls you up until you're stood on tiptoe and hooks your bindings onto something.   
"Just hang there for a while. Think about what you've done." The voice is too close once again but this time there's nothing you can do about it. Then, footsteps retreat from you quickly and a door slams shut. You're left off balance and your arms are already beginning to ache. You pull against the binding, testing the strength of them. There's some give in it, enough to let you get your heels a bit closer to the floor. It makes the ropes cut into your wrists but it'll be worth any rope burns. After a little while of pulling and stretching, you've created enough slack. Steeling yourself, you manage to launch yourself upwards, bringing your hands forward as you fall back to the ground. You hit the floor awkwardly, scraping your knees. As you clamber to your feet you mutter to your self.  
"These idiots couldn't even get the hook high enough to keep me there."   
Using your bound hands you manage to slide the blindfold up and off your head. You look around the room. The walls are bare and the floor is plain concrete but the rest of the place is full of things you would expect to find in a butcher's or a meat processing plant. Suddenly your desire to get the fuck out of here is increased tenfold. You look around for something to cut the rope, and find a handy saw blade sticking upwards. You're halfway through the tough ropes when a massive explosion shakes the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOOOOOOM


	14. Train tracks leading nowhere

You stumble as the shockwaves shake the room, narrowly missing impaling yourself on the saw blade. You stare at the blade millimetres from your face for a few tense seconds before straightening back up. You redouble your efforts and eventually the last few strands snap apart. You run over to the door, locked. No time to pick the lock. That explosion means they're definitely being attacked, so you have to get out of there as soon as possible, take advantage of the inevitable chaos. You step back and land a savage kick just below the handle. The door budges a little, so you kick it again, and again. The lock quickly buckles and you open the door, thanking cheap materials and shoddy workmanship.  
The corridor is empty, though you can hear shouts and gunfire all around. You run through the corridors, trying to remember each twist and turn. Unfortunately you quickly lose your way and end up in a room full of stuff. You grab a gun, stuffing a load of ammo into your pockets, and then survey the room. This must be all the stuff they took from people they killed and... ate by the look of the room you were being held in. You notice Carl's hat and pick it up, jamming it quickly onto your head. Then you grab up your bag. It appears that they didn't even take anything from it. Perhaps they didn't see any worth in a load of knives and a bit of food and water. They are a pretty set up group after all. Well, they were anyway. Running out into a courtyard, you keep your gun up defensively. You take out a few walkers with easy head shots and keep running until you find the train car full of people. Your heart sinks through the floor as you realise that the door is open. Does that mean they escaped? You pray that they did.  
The place is quickly being overrun by lurkers. You run along the perimeter until you find a blanket lying over the barbed wire. You climb up and vault over the fence, landing nimbly on the other side. By this point your entire body is protesting and throbbing with pain, but you know that you must keep moving until you're far enough away. Just keep moving, no matter what. After walking aimlessly for a good while. You come across some train tracks. You decide to follow them for a while, to ensure that you're moving away from Terminus. Your mind begins to wander to what you should do next. But then again, that's too painful. You probably won't ever see Carl again. Looks like nothing's changed.  
Just keep moving.


	15. Fatigue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not a very eventful chapter but necessary all the same.

On the side of the tracks, you notice a sign for Terminus which has been covered in dirt. On the top it reads 'no sanctuary' and the rest of the words have been smeared away. A big part of you wants to rip the sign down and use it as kindling. But, it could warn someone away from the flaming hell that was Terminus. So reluctantly, you turn away and continue to make your slow shuffling way down the tracks. At this point you look more like one of them than anything. There's dried blood all over your clothes, and your injuries and fatigue are limiting your movement. That's good if lurkers see you, hopefully they will assume you're one of them. On the other hand it does increase the chance of being shot on sight should you run into any other living. Well, you'll just have to deal with that as it comes.   
It's not yet night but exhaustion is quickly overwhelming the drive to keep walking. So, you wander off the tracks and into the woods until you find a suitable camping spot. It's an area of bushes just big enough to give you cover. You crawl in, holding your hat in your hands so it doesn't get knocked off. By the time you're in far enough to be completely you have scratches all over from the tangled branches. Too tired to care even slightly, you collapse to the floor and fall asleep instantly.  
You wake up disoriented, unsure of where you are or how on earth you got there. It takes a good while for everything to come back as you lie there in your cave of branches. From the light coming through the top you can tell it's daylight but you are at a complete loss as to how long exactly you were out. Eventually, find it in yourself to drag yourself out slowly, aching all over. You look around but everything seems the same. You have no idea which direction the train tracks are. You know that you need to be heading North to keep moving away from Terminus, but without knowing whether it's morning or evening you can't use the sun to navigate. Looks like the branch cave is your home now, at least until you can be absolutely sure which direction you need to be going. Getting lost in these woods is far from appealing and neither is going back nearer to Terminus. You know that Carl is getting further and further from you, but you can't help it. So, you settle back down and begin to ration out the little food you have left.


	16. Endings or beginnings?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end it nigh!!!!!

Time passes and the sun has moved enough that you can tell that it is rising and therefore you can tell east from west. After a quick check to make sure you have everything, you head north moving a little faster than the day before but still slower than you ordinarily would like. The days are beginning to get hotter and water is quickly becoming a problem. You ration it carefully but the heat makes it difficult, your grateful for the wide brim of Carl's hat keeping the direct sunlight off your face. You keep scrounging in every building you come across for what you can find and it keeps you going. It would be much harder in a group, with more people needing water and this just serves to remind you that you're better off alone, despite the toll it takes on you.   
You start travelling by night, sleeping through the heat of the day. It's possibly more dangerous but if it means you won't collapse from heat exhaustion or get sunstroke then it's worth it. The cool nights also mean that your water goes further. Buildings are few and far between out here, and the natural streams have all dried up, a testament to just how hot it is.   
*TIME SKIP*  
You never forget about Carl. You never forget about any of the people you've lost, but two weeks have passed without any sign of Carl whatsoever. You haven't seen a single person since Terminus. You just drift along unsure of where you are until you eventually see a sign for Washington DC. Rather than go into the city, which most likely means people and lurkers, you skirt around the outside, taking advantage of the more common buildings. Food is admittedly scarce, but you get along fine.   
Your first sign of people is a man on a motorbike speeding towards you with a car following behind. You were walking along the side of the road at the time so you dove into the bushes, praying they hadn't noticed you. The sound of both engines cutting out as they reach you makes your heart sink. Abandoning your hiding spot, you tear away across the field. You know they're behind you but refrain from looking back, because it will slow you down. Trying to hop the fence at the other side you get yanked back by your backpack.  
You hit the floor with a grunt and spring to your feet, ready to start punching.  
"Woah woah woah, calm down. We just want to talk. The we'll let you go, really."   
You keep your fists raised, but wait for them to speak. One of them looks calm and placating, while the other seems almost like a caged tiger. The calm one does the talking.  
"Where did you get that hat?"  
That throws you.  
"What?"  
"That hat. Where'd you get it?"  
You frown suspiciously at them.  
"A friend."  
"What happened to him?"  
You notice the male pronoun and your suspicion jumps higher, your adrenaline pulsing.  
"We got separated. I've been... searching for him."   
Tiger guy smirks at you. "I think we can help you with that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this! It's been quite an adventure and a whole lot of rewrites and irregular posting but, we reached the end.


End file.
